Table game with target ball and spheroidal curling bowls

ABSTRACT

A projectile-type game device for indoor and outdoor use characterized by an elevated table having a planar carpet-covered playing surface marginally encompassed by cushioned rails. A centralized transverse marker line divides the surface into a starting field which is located at the head of the table and a scoring field at the foot. A freely rotatable target ball provides a jack. A plurality of manually manipulable curling bowls are provided and are adapted to be slid, spun and delivered into the scoring field in a manner that they will come to a stop in a position as close as possible to the target ball. The peripheral surface of each curling bowl is provided with a concaved recess forming a seat for a user&#39;&#39;s thumb and tip of the index finger and a flattened surface portion located diametrically opposite the recess. The player or contestant whose bowls are closest to the jack will count one for each close-up position. Play is continued until a predetermined score is made.

Unite States Patent [1 1 McPhail et al.

[ 1 TABLE GAME WITH TARGET BALL AND SPHEROIDAL CURLING BOWLS [76] Inventors: William B. McPhail; Hazel M.

. McPhail, both of 14637 Evanston,

Detroit, Mich. 48224 [22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1970 21 App1.No.:75,831-

[52] US. Cl 273/118 R, 273/108, 273/58 A,

273/128 CS [51] Int. Cl A63d 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/118, 58 R, 58 A,

273/108, 58 B, 58 BA, 58 C, 58 D, 58 E, 58

F, 58G, 58 H, 58 I, 58 J, 58 K 5/1907 Canada 273/118 R June 26, 1973 Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A projectile-type game device for indoor and outdoor use characterized by an elevated table having a planar carpet-covered playing surface marginally encompassed by cushioned rails. A centralized transverse marker line divides the surface into a starting field which is located at the head of the table and a scoring field at the foot. A freely rotatable target ball provides a jack. A plurality of manually manipulable curling bowls are provided and are adapted to be slid, spun and delivered into the scoring field in a manner that they will come to a stop in a position as close as possible to the target ball. The peripheral surface of each curling bowl is provided with a concaved recess forming a seat for a users thumb and tip of the index finger and a flattened surface portion located diametrically opposite the recess. The player or contestant whose bowls are closest to the jack will count one for each close-up position. Play is continued until a predetermined score is made.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUH 26 I975 William B. McPha/l Hazel M. McPhaf/ INVENTORS Wave 3m TABLE GAME WITH TARGET BALL AND SPHEROIDAL CURLING BOWLS This invention relates to surface projectile-type games such as are customarily and suitably designed and adapted for indoor and outdoor use and pertains, broadly stated, to a leg supported appropriately carpeted table, the playing surface of which is utilized in a predetermined manner to enable rival contestants to score points by manually shoving, curling and delivering bowls from a starting field to a scoring field in a manner hereinafter more fully described.

In carrying out the principles of the game a suitably elevated table is provided with a suitably restricted planar carpet-covered playing surface, more particularly, a surface which, in a manner of speaking, resembles a pool table and has an upstanding encompassing rim, that is a rim made up of uninterrupted interiorly cushioned rails. This thus prepared and appropriately confined surface lends itself to the use of a plurality of manually manipulable playing pieces, more particularly, a plurality of curling bowls which are alike in construction but are distinguishably different to permit systematic play by rival contestants. The game can be played with either two or four contestants. The contestants may play according to the rules agreed upon prior to starting the game. Usually the game is played by either two or four players.

Briefly, the hereindisclosed game device is characterized by a leg-supported table whose restricted playing surface is covered with an appropriate grade of hardfinished carpet. Usually the table is elongated or oblong in plan and may be 12 to 16 feet in length and 4 feet in width. The height of the table can, if desired, be approximately 30 inches. A centralized transverse marker line which may be formed in any desirable manner divides the tabletop into a starting field which for sake of distinction is located at what may be called the head of the table and a' scoring field which is accordingly situated at the opposite end or foot of the table. A freely rotatable target ball is used and is designated for purposes of play and distinction as a jack. It is adapted to be rolled by hand by a selected player to assume an initial stay-put position within the limits of the scoring field. A plurality of manually deliverable curling bowls are employed and are appropriately larger but comparable in size with a single target ball and these bowls are adapted to be slid, spun and delivered from the head of the table, that is the starting field, into the scoring field. Depending on skill and experience these bowls are curled to bring them into a scoring position as measurably close as possible to the locale of the jack or target ball. After each player has thrown his set of bowls the score is counted. Any number of periods of play herein referred to as ends of play are utilized. The highest score after eight ends of play wins the game.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing a leg supported game table constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and laid out to provide the starting and scoring fields or zones, the target ball being shown at the left and several of the delivered bowls of the contestants shown to the right thereof in relative relationship and scoring positions.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective on a small scale of one of the bowls of the two distinguishable sets of bowls.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged central sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the section line 33 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

And FIG. 5 is a plan view showing one manner of gripping the bowl wherein the thumb is engaged in the concave seat and the fingers are diametrically opposite and are engaging the slightly flattened color-coded surface of the bowl.

The table as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is denoted by the numeral 6. This table is elongated and as before mentioned it may be some 12 to 16 feet long and approximately 4 feet in width. The supporting legs 8 are suitably mounted and may be 30 inches more or less in height. The entire planar playing surface of the table is covered with an appropriate grade of firm finished carpet which is denoted generally at 10. The rim which encompasses the entire margin of the table is denoted generally by the numeral 12 and comprises suitable interconnected longitudinal and transverse rails 14 whose interior surfaces are cushioned with carpet as at 16. The main carpet surface is provided centrally and transversely with a dividing line 17 which defines a starting region or field 18 to the right of the line and a scoring field 20 to the left of the line. One end of the table which is distinguished here as the head at the right in FIG. 1 is denoted at 22. The other end which is differentiated as the foot is denoted at 24. As brought out in FIG. 2 it is within the purview of the invention to provide the wooden or equivalent bottom 26 of the table with bolt holes 28 to accommodate screwthreaded studs 30 which are passed through the holes and screwed into the rails 14 and which are held in place by thumbnuts 32.

The aforementioned cue-like freely rollable target ball is denoted by the numeral 34. The bowls which are eight in number are individually denoted by the numeral 36 and each bowl is of identical construction. More specifically the bowl is substantially spherical but slightly ovoid in shape and accordingly is not a true sphere. One surface 38 is provided with a concave depression 40 of requisite sizeand depth which can be used to accommodate the thumb A of the hand as shown in FIG. 5. Alternatively it can be used to accommodate the index finger B where desired. The concave depression is encircled by concentric lines 42 which assist in enabling the user to position the thumb or fingers as the case may be. These lines 42 are primarily decorative. The diametrically opposite surface of each bowl is slightly flattened as at 44 and a plastic or equivalent disk, designated as a marker disk 46, is provided in the manner best show for example in FIG. 3.

The game is played with two sets of four bowls 36 and one target or jack 34. The bowls of the respective sets are usually 2 56 inch in diameter and each bowl is provided with the aforementioned depression 40 for (l) the thumb or (2) the forefinger as the case may be. The flattened surface 44 opposite the depression 40 is provided with an inlaid disk which is color coded either red or white, that is, red for one player and white for the other player or contestant. The target ball is approximately 1 A inch in diameter and solid white. As pointed out the game is played on a full carpeted table as shown advantageously in FIG. 1.

As a general rule the player or team with the red marked bowl will toss the jack to start the game. The jack obviously must be over the centerline 17 of play so that it will come to rest somewhere within the limits of the scoring field 20.

The player on the team throwing the jack out first plays first. The competitive player will then alternate and this mode of play will continue until each player has played, that is curled or delivered his four bowls 36. The player with the bowl closest to the target ball 34 will count one for each such bowled position. The closest bowl and all those oflike color are counted for each given end. In preferred manner of play the game will consist of eight ends" of play. Should each player have the bowl the same distance from the jack, that particular situation means cancelling the two correspondingly close bowls. The total score after eight ends wins the game.

It may be pointed out that by placing the thumb in the depressed seat 40 of the bowl and the index finger on the colored spot 46 and using a pushing or shoving motion a bowl will curl from right to left. Alternately, by turning the bowl 180 and placing the thumb on the colored spot 46 and the index finger B in the depression or seat 40 and using the same delivery motion the bowl will curl left to right. If a bowl is bowled over and over, that is rolled but fails to curl, it can be taken out of play by the opponent for that particular period or end" of play.

It is believed that the views of the drawing show the construction and purpose of the carpet covered table and how the zones or areas 18 and 20 can be utilized. The views also show the construction of the nearest spheroidal or substantially ovoid bowl or bowls. FIG. shows how one can grasp the bowl with a view toward serving or sliding it over the surface from the head end 22 to the foot end 24. FIG. 1 shows two red and two white bowls up close to the target ball which represents a partial completion of an end. The other four bowls are shown at the right in FIG. 1 and are to be played by the participants. It is reiterated that the game can be played by either two or four contestants.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A surface projectile-type table game comprising, in combination a table having a planar playing surface marginally and wholly encompassed by upstanding area-delineating cushion rails, a freely rollable target ball designated for purposes of play as a jack, and a plurality of manually manipulable, substantially spheroidal curling bowls arranged to be slid, spun and delivered from a starting field and curled into a scoring field and to stop in a position as measurably close as possible to the locale of said target ball, whereby to enable the participating contestants to ascertain and keep score in keeping with rules of the game, each bowl having a predetermined peripheral surface provided with a concaved recess forming a seat for one of a users thumb and tip of the index finger, as desired, for curling the bowl toward the target ball, and a flattened surface arranged diametrically opposite said recess for cooperating with the recess and providing a rest for the other of the thumb and fingertip in delivering the bowl, said target ball being solid and hard, there being at least two sets of like playable bowls, said bowls being solid and hard and larger in diameter than said target ball, and the bowls of one set being coded and visually distinguishable from the bowls of the competitive set. 

1. A surface projectile-type table game comprising, in combination a table having a planar playing surface marginally and wholly encompassed by upstanding area-delineating cushion rails, a freely rollable target ball designated for purposes of play as a jack, and a plurality of manually manipulable, substAntially spheroidal curling bowls arranged to be slid, spun and delivered from a starting field and curled into a scoring field and to stop in a position as measurably close as possible to the locale of said target ball, whereby to enable the participating contestants to ascertain and keep score in keeping with rules of the game, each bowl having a predetermined peripheral surface provided with a concaved recess forming a seat for one of a user''s thumb and tip of the index finger, as desired, for curling the bowl toward the target ball, and a flattened surface arranged diametrically opposite said recess for cooperating with the recess and providing a rest for the other of the thumb and fingertip in delivering the bowl, said target ball being solid and hard, there being at least two sets of like playable bowls, said bowls being solid and hard and larger in diameter than said target ball, and the bowls of one set being coded and visually distinguishable from the bowls of the competitive set. 